"EVERYTHING IS SHUT" Mike, 42, from Esch-sur-Alzette, said he had been homeless for a year and was dependent on the Stëmm vun der Strooss. He said he now lives in Luxembourg as it is easier to find places to sleep, but described the current situation as catastrophic - as everything is closed, he does not know where to go.
"HIDING LIKE RATS" Now the Wanteraktioun, which offers shelter during the winter months, is coming to an end on 31 March, Mike is worried about the future. The closure will result in more homeless people on the streets, which conflicts with coronavirus measures. Mike said "We are no longer allowed to be in the street, so I have been hiding in garages, holes like a rat, to avoid the police checks. Official advice is to stay at home, but I have no home."
"MY IMMUNE SYSTEM IS WEAK" Furthermore, there is the fear of infection. Mike explained he has a low immune system due to hepatitis C. Luckily he is part of a programme run by Jugend- an Drogenhëllef , where he can collect medication twice a day for his heroin addiction.
SLEEPING FOR FREE Steve, 30, from Luxembourg, also detailed life on the streets. He says "I had issues with my landlord who left me without water and electricity for three weeks, so I have been sleeping at WanterAktioun for the last three weeks. It is the only place that offers accommodation for free. I have slept outside before - it was cold, damp, I had no blankets and I was on constant alert that no one saw me because it is against the law to sleep outside." Steve added that he hoped the WanterAktioun would continue beyond 31 March as it would provide a lifeline for those in need.
WASHING HANDS "Luckily there is the Stemm, which helps people like me. It is far easier to catch an illness on the street and I am scared of catching coronavirus. I am trying to stay clean. There are sinks I can use at the train station, and I have a washbag with soap and hygiene products" explained Steve.
"POLITICIANS, DON'T FORGET US!" Mike expressed his disappointment at the lack of messaging for the homeless from the government. "I just want to hear them say, think of the homeless as well. Politicians, don't forget about us."
The day after the interview with Mike and Steve, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel informed a reporter of the government's plans to help those on the margins of society, particularly the homeless. The Red Cross will organise assistance for those with symptoms, while for others, the Prime Minister encouraged isolation and keeping distances from others. Bettel acknowledged this was a sad situation for those who are frequently used to low social contact and isolation, but underlined that homeless people would still have access to shelters and services.
I DON'T LIKE TELEWORK
"I am telecommuting for the first time in my life. I do it for obvious health reasons and common sense. But I don't like it. I even wrote an article against telework (click here to read), and now I am a forced teleworker" smiles the economist of the Idea foundation (a Chamber of Commerce think tank)
THE RIGHT TO DISCONNECT THREATENED?
"With the possible generalisation of telework, work is likely to spill over into private space, which would de facto challenge the very notion of "working time" and would risk leading to "generalised remote availability", and could even reduce the possibility of inactivity for the employees since the incapacity for work is not necessarily conflated with the incapacity for teleworking" writes the economist.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMY WHEN
"No one knows what the economic impact of the coronavirus will be, if only there are many ways in which the pandemic could develop in the future, and there are many channels through which it can affect the economy in particular, especially the Grand Duchy, open and dependent as it is on foreigners."
"On the other hand, what I do know is that the toolbox of public interventions, of budgetary and monetary authorities, is full, and that the results are there, in particular the measures to support long-term growth, the SMEs, etc. I find that reassuring, decisions are being taken faster and stronger than during the 2008 crisis, for example."
CROSS-BORDER WORKERS ARE AFRAID
"There was a big spike in customer traffic at the time of the announcements last week, but since then, it has calmed down" says the president of the Federation of service stations. Cross-border workers especially "fear that they will no longer be able to buy gasoline in Luxembourg, because residents do not have this concern" (A fear which has practically become a reality for most cross-border commuters considering the containment measures and traffic restrictions).
BETTER THAN THE SUPERMARKET?
"Apparently, more and more customers are doing more small shopping trips to service stations. They probably think that it's less risky to come here than to a big supermarket". Have staff received instructions to deal with this influx of customers? "Yes of course. We favour card payments rather than cash. Marks on the ground have been put down so that people keep their distance at the cash register." In contrast, no masks and gloves required for staff, "because it should already be able to get them!"
NO "BLACK GOLD" SHORTAGE:
No reason to worry regarding fuel reserves: "the strategic stock is there, so only total ban on the movement of trucks between Belgium (Editor's note: our main supplier) and Luxembourg would make this a problem." Which is unthinkable.
FREE FALL MARGINS
"A decrease in fuel prices are good for the consumer, but it's quite the opposite for gas station operators When the level of gasoline falls too fast, the profit margins collapses and they end up selling at a loss." "This causes some of our members to panic and complain, but we mustn't forget that when prices go up, pump operators experience the opposite and increase their profits. But prices have never experienced such a strong upward trend as the current downward trend. "
LIFE CONTINUES
Farmers have to run their farm, whether or not there is a virus abound: "You have to milk the cows twice a day, you have to feed the animals, you have to do work on the farm, sell the products, there is spring work that is starting ... The agricultural world can't stop turning" affirms the president of the Farmers' Alliance.
NO MORE MORNING COFFEE
But the sector must also comply with hygiene measures: "Everyone must take this seriously, including farmers. Me for example, with my son who works with me on the farm, we respect safety distances, we wear gloves ... Normally we always drink coffee together in the kitchen for breakfast, but we've stopped doing that, just to be careful! "
KEEP CALM
Economically, the sector expects difficult days: "Nothing is normal with this virus, so the sale of agricultural products is inevitably impacted. The meat market remains roughly normal, but the market risks to collapse if people flock to supermarkets in droves to buy it. So I want the sector to remain calm, producers to remain calm, customers too, everyone. Because stress doesn't help anything, on the contrary. "
ACL, HOW CAN I HELP?
Good news, the Automobile Club Luxembourg continues to work: "Our towing and breakdown services are still operational. So if someone needs us, they can call" reassures its president Yves Wagner. As a reminder, the ACL switchboard: (+352) 450045-1 and that of 24-hour assistance: (+352 ) 26000.
NO MASKS FOR CAR MECHANICS
"The call centre is the vital force behind our activity, because if it doesn't work anymore, nothing works anymore. So we already took preventative measures 15 days ago to split it up three teams at three different sites, to limit the risk of the virus spreading." As for mechanics, they do not wear masks, "because as you know they are primarily reserved for health personnel and it is difficult to get them for everyone."
REDUCED ACTIVITIES:
However, ACL activity has slowed down a great deal: "There is not much going on. Members no longer come to the reception, the shop is closed ... In terms of repairs, it's much quieter than usual. And as for the trips that we organise regularly for thousands of members, we've had to put an end to unfortunately. Everything that was scheduled for the next 2 months has been cancelled."
Note to our readers: this series will be updated in the coming days with new testimonies from representatives of different sectors.
